Kings Cross Model Shop

[Oldddudders]

I remember it was called Howell Dimmock,Dudley Dimmock was the co owner of the shop,he came from Graham Farish i believe & the next time i saw him after the shop closed ,he was the manager of Basset Lowkes shop in Holborn.

I bought my Codar controller and simulator modules from Howell Dimmock. Needed a transformer to power the things - and Dudley Dimmock produced something that he said he'd designed in his Graham Farish days, so I bought that too.

 

Back in the '50s, Graham Farish were located in the former SER goods shed at Staplehurst, Kent. By the time we used the station daily in the '80s they were long gone to places South West, but their name was clearly visible. A decent chap called Rodney Mumford then had the lease and sold pet food. He had some of the biggest cats you've ever seen, and one of his kittens came with us to France in 2004, by then 16 years old.

[4630]

I bought my Codar controller and simulator modules from Howell Dimmock. Needed a transformer to power the things - and Dudley Dimmock produced something that he said he'd designed in his Graham Farish days, so I bought that too.

 

And if I recall correctly, Dudley Dimmock went on to a model shop in Poole working with Geoff Barlow, before then setting up a very small outlet on his own in the Bournemouth suburb of Charminster.

[roythebus]

Mike Sheppard was the loco builder at Yourk Way as I said earlier!

 

The 2 shops in Chiswick were Jones Bros of Turnham Green Terrace; hobby Supplies used to be opposite Chiswick BR station but moved to near Jones Bros in chiswick high Road; there was a slo a gauge O shop along King Street towards Stamford Brook, but I don't remember ever going in there.

 

Another model shop still going is Patricks Toys in Fulham, been going since just after WW2. I worked there when I was at school and full time for a while! It's more of a toy shop that sells models, but still appears to be doing well.

[5050]

I went to Chuffs once when waiting for a train from Marylebone as it wasn't to far away. I remember it being in a basement? Piles of stuff all jumbled up on tables? Met a guy from my cycling past who I hadn't seen for years! It took us a few minutes to realise that we knew each other. Also went to Kings Cross when train waiting. Seem to remember them being a bit 'off hand'.

[Metr0Land]

 

There were two near me in Chiswick around 1970.

 

Jones Bros by Turnham Green station was a favourite in my youth (they expanded to 2 shops at one time a few doors apart - not sure which other one you're thinking of)

[Metr0Land]

I remember in the mid-80's Kings X models seemed to have quite a few conversions in the window. Reasonable jobs at reasonable prices for their day. I still have this Lima conversion to DP1 which gets an outing from time to time.

 

[pointstaken]

. The shop next door was used by "ladies of ill repute"!!

 

followed immediately by

 

I remember it well - I was a regular customer from 1977 to 1980. !

 

Geoff Endacott

 

Posters really should mind their wording

 

Dennis

(Surprised Horsetan missed that one !)

Edited December 17, 2012 by pointstaken

[coachmann]

Tony Dyer is still on my Xmas Card list......He called in a few years ago while on a golfing holiday. Kings Cross was the first shop to set me up a trade account circa 1971. I was hesitating about leaving the glass industry until Alan Brackenborough told me he had a large contract of buses to build and paint for Kings Cross and would be grateful for assistance. This was the kick I needed so I went self-employed with a suitcase of buses! The great thing with Kings X was being able to pick up the phone and my order would be on the doormat next morning. 40-odd years later, this tradition is maintained by Bob (ex of EAMES) at Alton Model Railways.

Edited December 17, 2012 by coachmann

[Captain Kernow]

I bought my Codar controller

 

I think I've still gone one, up in the attic somewhere!

 

I went to Chuffs once I remember it being in a basement? Piles of stuff all jumbled up on tables?

I also visited Chuffs once, in the early or mid-1970s. I don't remember it being in a basement, but I recall going along a kind of passage way and entering this dimly-lit emporium. At yes, I also recall it being rather 'disorganised'... When I went in, the chap behind the counter was actually burning some incense...!! I think they rather delighted in their 'hippy' image at the time...

[Captain Kernow]

Tony Dyer is still on my Xmas Card list

 

Glad to hear he's still going. I remember him as a thoroughly nice fellow.

[BrushVeteran]

For a short while in the late eighty's and early ninety's there was a railway bookshop/model shop in Charlotte Place, near Googe St, not too far away from Euston.. I think it was called something like The Booking Hall or something similar. The proprietor was always very knowledgable and helpful and this was the only model shop in this area after W&H shut down. I think it shut around 1995 and it was a great shame but I think I remember the guy in there telling me the rent just kept going up and up. I remember buying a Class 31 worksplate from 31015 for £40.........a bargain I thought..........worth probably 20 times that now!

Edited December 17, 2012 by BrushVeteran

[hmrspaul]

Tony Dyer is still on my Xmas Card list......He called in a few years ago while on a golfing holiday. Kings Cross was the first shop to set me up a trade account circa 1971. I was hesitating about leaving the glass industry until Alan Brackenborough told me he had a large contract of buses to build and paint for Kings Cross and would be grateful for assistance. This was the kick I needed so I went self-employed with a suitcase of buses! The great thing with Kings X was being able to pick up the phone and my order would be on the doormat next morning. 40-odd years later, this tradition is maintained by Bob (ex of EAMES) at Alton Model Railways.

 

... and mine. He gave me his colour slide collection a few years ago, 20 carousels worth! Before Kemilway he formed Mopok with John Senior. He now lives in Cumbria and is rather more interested in ships!

 

Lovely man, he probably had more influence on me than any other modeller. With his brother we had a splendid day out wandering around the London end of the Midland Mainline looking for inspiration for a model Tony was making http://PaulBartlett....ilway/e1d09eab0. The photos in this collection taken on 31 May 1967 were that day http://paulbartlett..../midlandrailway We never did get the contract for demolishing this bridge at Radlett, which was the reason we gave for wandering up the sidings that day http://bit.ly/VMlriO He did make a nice model of the Radlett goods shed.

 

Like others, I kept in touch by visiting him when work had taken me to our London offices, before going back to Harpenden (which is one station we didn't visit that day and I had no idea I would be living there by 1974!)

 

Very happy memories.

 

Paul Bartlett

Edited December 18, 2012 by hmrspaul

[Oldddudders]

Kings Cross Models was also the last place I saw a friend who I suspect Stationmaster must have known - Tom Linfoot. Must have been about 1988/9, and Tom - 50-ish - was already ill.

[sagaguy]

There was a shop in Mackenzie Rd,Holloway in the 70`s,used to sell loads of HD 3rail,that may have been one of Chuffs shops but it was a long time ago!!!.

 

Ray.

[hmrspaul]

And what was the name of that shop in Cecil Court near Charing Cross? Spent many a lunchtime in there too.

 

Sorry, if already answered, but I cannot see that it has. The shop was Hamblings.

 

Paul Bartlett

[Donw]

My Grandfather used work in the corn merchants next door to Eames so as a young boy I would sometimes go with him and then drool at the models in the window. Later I would drop by on my way home from school. It was there I bought my first copy of Railway modeller and realised other people took modelling seriously. The models in the display case were so far above my triang jinty but would not pass muster today having little chassis detail such as brake gear. I can also remember City Models in the City. I can also remember taking a trip to Beatties at Southgate when it was there only shop.

Mention was also made of Alan Brackenborough, Alan first worked in London and made models including Bus models. I think he had a link with Hamblings then. He moved to Stroud having liked the place when visiting family. Alan is somewhat undervalued as a modeller because he is such a good painter.

Don

[roythebus]

Alan Brackenborough had his own small range of bus kits, cast metal ends with printed sides. For their day they were very good and had in effect flush glazed windows.

 

Tony Dyer was also an accomlished musician. Correct, he did run Mopok befor he started Kemilway. When I produced my Met Railway 0-6-2T kit, Tony was to make an etched chassis to go with it, but never got round to it, so the kit never sold very many.

 

Jones Bros did indeed open a second shop just a few doors along from their model shop. ISTR that catered more for the DIY side of things. They were famous for their TT rail which was just right for fine scale f/b 00 rail! They used to have a display cabinet tucked round the back which had such delights as a Kirdon 100001 in there, all beyond my pocket.

 

Hobby Supplies moved from Chiswick to Chiswick High road, near the bus works.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Such an ideally situated shop. It could only have bettered its location by being wedged between the main line and suburban platforms of KX station. On the last visit before closure I bought all the remaining stock of MGW wagon and coach wheels and 3H wagon kits then in the shop; only finally 'used up' the wheelsets about two years ago. Many of the kits and bits bought there still trundle on. Happy days.

[Brian Kirby]

Being ex- KX staff, i have to add that both MRM (KX) and sister company EAMES of Reading, were still going concerns when they both closed in 1988, so often people assume that a firm has gone bust. The reasons for closure, were that the York Way premises and the entire block, including the famous Bravington's the jewellers, were required for the original Continental station scheme, to be built on the east side of King's Cross station, roughly parallel with the MET and Widened Lines. Of course this scheme was later cancelled, but it resulted in the entire block being semi-derelict for 20 years.

By sheer coincidence, the site of the Reading shop was also then required by the local council for road improvements and was eventually demolished. The directors did seriously think of re-locating the MRM King's Cross shop to Old Street, near The City, but none of the staff were keen, it would have been rather dull compared to cosmopolitan King's Cross and more difficult to get to. Around this time, the founder Ted Morris passed away and director John Gauld was due to retire, leaving David Morris to run the whole empire. I resigned in March 1986 and Dave fancied a career elsewhere, so the whole thing was wound up in 1988.

By contrast, a few years later, W&H in New Cavendish St. went bust in a most spectacular way, as did The Booking Hall in 1998, but that's another story !

Cheers, Brian.

[roythebus]

ISTR David Morris went lorry driving for a change!

 

I beleive part of the problems with W&H was the Maerklin dealership they acquired. they opened a wholesale place in Hastings in the early 1990's; I went there once to buy a Hamo Royal Train in about 1993. Possibly the rent for the New Cavndish Street premises became too expensive for a model railway shop.

 

Back to Kings Cross, when I worked there it was the Model Railway Accessory Supply Co. Ltd. I suspect that went broke as it always seemed short of capital to buy enough stock. It may have been that KX Models was a separate company started by the Morris family. I remember whne people used to come in and ask for K's kits, AG Thomas would tell them that "you can't get K's kits, they're making plastic bingo cards you know". And "when I was in Iceland..." with a tale about his wartime exploits in the navy!

 

AG Thomas done a series of books about private owner wagons which should be a useful reference for anyone interested in pre-nationalisation PO wagons. I have some signed copies. Would that make them any more valuable??

[Brian Kirby]

Yes Roy, Dave went off to try his hand at lorry driving, with a view to starting his own haulage business, but the poor man suffered a severe stroke c.1990 and has been handicapped ever since.

 

I went on to do a lot of painting and building for W&H in the 1990s, and heard all about the "vast" warehouse in Hastings, but i never got to see it. The Marklin stock did become a huge financial burden, they got saddled with multiples of very expensive locos, etc., that they couldn't sell quick enough. At the time, W&H were importers/distributors for many ranges, so of course they were obliged to carry significant stocks of everything.

 

Back at KX . . . , there were only three volumes of A.G.Thomas's Private Owner Wagon sketchbooks, one red, one blue, one green, so how many signed copies has Roy got? !!!

 

Cheers, Brian.

[Xerces Fobe2]

The shop next door was used by "ladies of ill repute"!!

 

I knew I in the wrong shop when I saw all the model trains in it!

 

XF

[Horsetan]

I visited Kings Cross a couple of times in about 1984. The nameplate ranges are apparently still available from a Mr. Burton of 6 Stratfield Park Court, Winchmore Hill, London, N21 1BU, but the website for this went down recently after the BT Web Hosting Service was discontinued.

 

Just up the Pentonville Road was Victors, which catered to a somewhat higher income bracket.

 

..... Possibly the rent for the New Cavendish Street premises became too expensive for a model railway shop....

 

It doesn't seem to have affected Swiss / French outline retailer Marno, which operates just a few doors away from the former W&H premises.

[chrisf]

Swipe me, what nostalgia! When I lived in Acton, prior to 1962, my favourite model shop was Jones Bros of Chiswick which has received honourable mentions above. I would also visit Taylor and McKenna whose shop was near Craven Park and was an easy journey by trolleybus.

 

How tantalising that I may have met so many luminaries in the course of visiting the Kings Cross shop without knowing who they were or who they would become ...

 

Chris

[coachmann]

By contrast, a few years later, W&H in New Cavendish St. went bust in a most spectacular way,.....

 

Indeed they did. According to friend Roy Dock who was then the owner of GEM, W&H placed a large order with GEM then went bust after it arrived.

 

GEM, W&H, Hamblings, Kings Cross, EAMES etc were the old school and those of us writing on here along with Alan Bracks were the young generation coming up. Now we're old....time passes so quickly.